Means and method of treating stringed instruments to improve quality of tone



S. FLORESCO.

MEANS AND METHOD OF TREATING STRINGED INSTRUMENTS TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF TONE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. IO, 1919.

1,352,442. Patented Sept. 14, 1920..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SILVIO FLOBESCO, OF BEBNE, SWITZERLAND.

MEANS AND METHOD OF TREATING STRINGED INSTRUMENTS TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF TONE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 14, 1920.

Application filed March 10, 1919. Serial No. 281,723.

To all whom. it may concern:

e it known that I, SILVIO FLoREsco, violinist, a citizen of Rumania, and residing at Berne, Switzerland, have invented a certain new and useful Improved Means and Methods of Treating Stringed Instruments to Improve Quality of Tone, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to stringed instruments played with a how, such as violins, Violas, violoncellos, and double-basses, and has for its object to impart to such instruments the refined tone which is usual with old and valuable stringed instruments.

It isknown that newly made instruments, as Well as old ones, which either have not been used or used but little, are incapable of the sweet-sounding andeasy intonation of old and valued instruments, and which have well and constantly been played.

It is well known that the tone of a wellmade instrument improves in proportion to the eriod which it has been played.

y observations, extending over a number of years, have established the nature of an influence which operates with said instruments by virtue of timeand use.

The improvement in tone is found to be due essentially to the prolonged effect, of the pressure locally exercised by the strings upon the belly of the instrument, at the spot occupied by the bridge and through its medium, which said effect, by constantly acting at the said spot produces in the course of years a gradual and progressive modification of the structure of the material of the belly.

The improvement in tone is not due to some hidden virtue inherent to vibrations, as was thought hitherto. Indeed, the said improvement is essentially due to the effect of the pressure exercised by the strings, and correlatively by the musician upon the strings in playing the instrument, the. said pressure being liable to many variations, according to the precise spot, the degree of influence exerted by the player and the lapse of time.

The effect of the said pressure, increased intermittently and variably by the musician in playing the instrument, it is believed, produces in the course of time a compression and molecular displacement from the arts of the belly under and adjacent the bridge, thereby forming a strata-like transmitting structure which is capable in a high degree of refining and of distributing the vibrations received by the medium of the bridge.

In view of the foregoing I have realized the possibility of replacing by an adequate and systematic treatment of the belly of the instrument, not only the prolonged effect of the pressure exerted by the strings upon the belly through the medium of the bridge, but also the variation of such pressure due to the skill of the musician, said effect and in fiuence hitherto being obtainable only by lapse of time and constant use. In this way it is possible to impart to a newly constructed or modern instrument, a tone equal to and rivaling that which is the characteristic of old and valuable stringed instruments.

According to the present invention there is applied to the belly of the instrument, the tone of which it is desired to improve, a local pressure which is concentrated upon the place occupied by the bridge or immediately adjacent, which pressure is considerably higher in degree than the usual pressure applied by the strings of the instrument. Such a result may be accomplished for instance by stringing along the belly, instead of usual strings but in a similar way, metal strings of suitable size and kind, such as piano strings, the tension of which is con siderably greater than that of the usual strings. The metal strings are supported or upheld by a bridge which is accordingly strengthened.

On account of this high continuously acting pressure, the parts of the belly under and adjacent the bridge undergo within a relatively short time (for instance four to eight weeks) the corresponding modifications in structure which the ordinary normal use of the instrument, no matter how high the pressure by ordinary strings might be, would nevertheless be incapable of produce ing except after a very long lapse of time.

The instrument thus treated acquires a tone comparable to that of old and valued instruments as well as their characteristic easiness of intonation.

The pressure referred to above may be varied as to degree or intensity in the following manner:

Firstly, while the belly is under inert-aged pressure by appropriate metal strings, the latter will be stopped alternatively at diiierent places corresponding on the instrument to the note positions of the scale, by temporarily pressing said strings against a firm support answ ring'to the finger-board of the instrument and properly titted up so as to be manipulated. V

Secondly, the high pressure torce produced by suitable metal strings, although present when said strings are tuned cont pitch, will be eiiicaciously increase-a by .ually raising said strings to a higher patch, thus applying a aressure which is es ively gre ter. For instance, having cied said strings in position they may be tuned to con 't pitch and kept at the latter for a cer st nce week, then ralsed from week to week a higher semi-tone, as far as practicable in proportion, to their :ondition and degree of compression it is required o exert.

The first method above mentioned may be contizu will upon the strings whose pitch and been raised in the manner atoresaid;

in carr in the invention into eilcct and at the same tune preventing the bel y of the instrument from being injured, a device such as that illustrated in the annexed drawing may be used, said device illustrating by way of example, the treatment of a violin.

' Figure 1 shows front elevation and I Fig. 2 a side view.

T he device consists for instance, of a'support a from wood or other suitable material and which is provided with a linger-board b and a tail piece 0 in the same way as an ordinary violin.

The linger-board is provided with itcchanical pegs of the kind commonly used for violoneell'os, and double-basses, in order to f x, strain and tune tour metal strings.

The belly c of the instrument to be treated having been detached (or before it has been fitted) is placed upon the support rt so that it assumes in relation to the lingerboar and the tail-piece the same position as it occupies on the instrument.

The metal-strings, preferably pianoforte strings, corresponding in number and arrangen'ient to the usual strings of a violin, are strained across a bridge 01 requisite strength to support the high pressure operati iorce, such vbridge.being placed in corresponding and proper position.

ln order to prevent any damage to the belly on account of the high pressure force exerted by the strings it will be expedient to provide a prop for a part of the belly which is not already strengthened by the bar 9 shown in dotted linesinl ig. l.

To that end a small wooden block 72,, shown also in dotted lines, fitting close under the vault of said part and interposed between said part and the support referred to above, may be used.

period, for inincense The operation of stopping. the strings against the finger-board according to the first method of operation, may be effected by any means, for instance by using a suitable presser, or simply by means of a strong small cord.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. A method of improving the tone of instruments played with a bow, consisting in temporarily applying to the belly of the instrument betore attachment thereto a local pressure, exercised at the place occupied by the bridge or adjacent thereto, which pressure considerably exceeds the normal pres sure exercised by the usual strings of said instrument. 1 r

2. A method of improving the tone of an instrument played with a bow which consists in temporarily placing the belly of the instrument before attachment thereto under pressure producing means capable of being vibrated and tensioned to exert through the bridge a constant local pressure exercised at the place occupied by the bridge or adjacent thereto, which pressure exceeds the normal pressure by the usual strings of said instrument, and setting up vibrations upon said pressure producing means such as are incident to the playing upon the strings with a bow.

3. A method of improving the tone of an instrument played with a bow which consists in temporarily placing the belly of the instrument beiore attachment thereto under tensioned strings arranged in the same way as the usual strings ofthe instrument and equal in number thereto, subjecting said stringsto tension exceeding the tension to which said usual strings are subjected to produce a local pressure exerted at the place occupied by the bridge of the instrument or adjacent thereto, and producing tones upon said strings while'under such'tension corresponding to those obtained in the usual playing of the instrument/J 4. A method of improving the tone of an instrument played with a bow which consists in temporarily placing the belly of the instrument before attachment thereto under tensioned strings arranged in the same way as the usual strings of the instrument and equal in. number thereto, subjecting said said strings against a firm support at places corresponding on the instrument to the note positions of the scale.

6. A method of improving the tone of an instrument played with a bow which consists in temporarily placing the belly of the instrument under tensioned strin s arranged in the same way as the strings of the instrument, tuning said strings to a predetermined pitch, progressively raising said pitch, and playing upon the strings at each stage of the pitch variation.

7. A method of improving the tone of an instrument played with a bow which consists in temporarily placing the belly of the instrument under tensioned strings arranged in the same way as the strings of the instrument, tuning said strings to a predetermined pitch, maintaining said pitch for a predetermined time, subsequently raising the pitch, and playing upon the strings during the periods of the maintenance of the various pitches.

8. A device of the class described for improving the tone of instruments played with a bow, consisting of a support for the belly of the instrument when detached therefrom, strings capable of relatively greater tension than obtainable with the usual strings and I mounted on said support in the position which the usual strings occupy with relation to the said belly, a bridge intermediate the strings and the belly, and means for straining and tuning the strings whereby to produce tension upon the same in excess of the tension obtainable by the usual strings of the instrument.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

SILVIO FLORESCO.

Witnesses:

FRIEDRICH N ARGELI, HANS RINDOKNESHY. 

